Musicians show their spine
The Backbone Campaign, Vashon’s homegrown activist organization, will hold a musical fundraiser at 8 p.m. Friday at Red Bicycle Bistro. The show is for all ages until 11 p.m. and 21 and older after that.
The theme of the night, “Red Hot Police Who Clash For Kinky Petty Cash,” means that dozens of Island musicians will take the stage to perform tributes to The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Police, The Who, The Clash, the Kinks, Tom Petty and Johnny Cash. Such well-known Island players as Jacob Bain (Troll’s Cottage), Ron Hook, Kat Eggleston, Maggie Laird and many more have all staked a claim in the lineup.
Tickets to the event are $20, and Backbone’s executive director, Bill Moyer, said the group hopes to raise $7,000 during the course of the evening. Proceeds will go toward paying for Backbone’s upcoming actions in Washington D.C. that will call attention to the issues of housing and student debt.
The Backbone Campaign, under Moyer’s leadership since 2003, has played a role in the national Occupy Movement, providing imagery and activist training that has wound up making national news. Locally, the group acted up in the fight to stop Glacier Northwest from mining Maury Island and was also involved in the push to bring Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union to the Island. Current projects include advocating for bringing a community solar power installation to Vashon and training activists nationwide around the issues of eviction protection, mortgage principal reduction and student debt. For more information, visit www.backbonecampaign.org.
Dig local music at the Bike
The Diggers, a well-known Island band, will play a free show at 8 p.m. Saturday at Red Bicycle Bistro. The band’s sounds draw upon such things as Balkan rhythms, klezmer scales and foreign lullabies, while retaining an Americana sound. This is an all-ages free cover show until 11 p.m. then 21 and older after that.
Tab Tabscott shows off new works
Dobro player Tab Tabscott and Friends will play original and traditional bluegrass and Celtic tunes at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Heron. The show, featuring dozens of instruments and a host of performers, is the latest in Vashon Allied Arts long-runing New Works Series.
Guest players will include Island luminaries Mindy Manley Little on banjo and fiddle, mandolist Paul Colwell, John Schubert on guitar and vocals and Iris Spring on fiddle. Al Hutteball on upright bass, Jamie Blair on banjo and vocals and Jeff Westerinen on mandolin will also join in the fun.
Tabscott promises an evening of “full-blown, hard driving bluegrass music with vocal harmonies and some red-hot picking.” In addition to his dobro, Tabscott will play other instruments, including musical saw, jawharp, electric and acoustic mandolin and pedal steel guitar. Tabscott’s ventriloquist dummy Alex will also be part of the family-friendly show. Tickets, $12 and $15, are on sale at the Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Vashon Bookshop and www.brownpapertickets.com.
Join in the singing with Amrita
Amrita, a kirtan music ensemble, will chant sacred songs from around the globe at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Puget Sound Zen Center, 20406 Chautauqua Beach Road (overlooking KVI Beach). “Kirtan” refers to Hindu devotional style of singing that has a call-and-response format. Amrita’s players include lead singer Carol Lutra-Johns and response singer Carla DeCrona, flutist Larry Lawson, bassist Stephen Meyer and percussionist and vocalist Geoff Johns. A $10 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For information, visit www.rhythmjoy.com.
